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Contextual collaborative electronic annotations

Contextual collaborative electronic annotations description/claims

The subject matter described herein relates to contextual electronic annotation tools in a collaborative environment such as virtual sticky notes.

In collaborative environments in which multiple users are accessing the same applications and/or electronic documents, there are few available mechanisms by which the various users can share contextually sensitive information regarding the application and/or electronic documents. The software program Post-It® Digital Notes, sold by 3M, allows a user to create virtual sticky notes. With such an arrangement, the virtual sticky notes are personal to a particular user on a particular computer. Moreover, such sticky notes are only associated with pre-designated electronic message boards or the desktop of a computer and are not available for use with a variety of applications and, or electronic documents.

An application that has an associated widget and a graphical user interface is initiated. Thereafter, the widget determines a first state of the application. Once the first state of the application is determined, the widget calls (by, for example, a web service, etc.) a remote repository to retrieve one or more electronic annotations (e.g., virtual sticky note, etc.) associated with the first state of the application. These electronic annotations are then displayed in connection (e.g., adjacent, overlaid, etc.) with the graphical user interface of the application.

The first state of the application can be based on a context ID obtained from an operating system on which the application is running. The context ID can in turn be mapped to electronic annotations stored in the remote repository.

When the state of the application changes from the first state to a second state, the displayed retrieved one or more electronic annotations can be removed from over the graphical user interface of the application. In some variations, a user can modify the displayed electronic annotations which results in such modifications being stored in the remote repository. Moreover, in some implementations, multiple repositories may be provided such that different systems have different associated repositories.

In an interrelated aspect, a first state of an application is initiated, the application having an associated and a graphical user interface. Thereafter, one or more electronic annotations associated with the first state of the application are identified, so that it can be determined whether a user associated with the application is authorized to access the one or more identified electronic annotations. Based on this determination, a remote repository is called to retrieve the identified one or more electronic annotations associated with the first state of the application that the user is authorized to access. These retrieved electronic annotations can be displayed in connection with the graphical user interface of the application.

In a further interrelated aspect, a first state of an application is initiated, the application having an associated and a graphical user interface. User-generated input specifying an electronic annotation is received, which results, in the widget initiating storage of data characterizing the electronic annotation in a remote repository to enable presentation of the electronic annotation over the graphical user Interface when the application subsequently enters the first state when accessed by an authorized user.

Articles are also described that comprise a machine-readable medium embodying instructions that when performed by one or more machines result in operations described herein. Similarly, computer systems are also described that may include a processor and a memory coupled to the processor. The memory may encode one or more programs that cause the processor to perform one or more of the operations described herein.

The subject matter described herein provides many advantages. For example, the current techniques allow for a user to store and access private information associated particular applications and application states. Moreover, the current techniques can be used to selectively provide such private information to other users in a collaborative and contextual manner.

The details of one or more variations of the subject matter described herein are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features and advantages of the subject matter described herein will be apparent from the description and drawings, and from the claims.

FIG. 1 is a process flow diagram illustrating the display of an electronic annotation based on a context of all application;

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating the generation and access of electronic annotations by two collaborating users;

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating the display of a sticky note obtained from a repository when an application is initiated;

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a user generating a sticky note which results in the sticky note being stored in a repository;

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a user switching from a first application to a second application which results in sticky notes displayed in connection with the first application being withdrawn from display; and

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating the deletion of a sticky note by a user and a corresponding update of a repository.

• Provisional Patent
• Utility Patent

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